Steeet sweepee



(No Model.) 4 I 4Shets8heet Y. GAMBEE.

STREET $WEEPER.' r No.-648,912. Patented 001;. 29, 1 95.

N VE N TOR A TTOHNE ANDREW EGHNMM. PHDTD-LITNOWASHINGYDNJQ. 4

(No Model.) 1 4 sheds-sheet 2.

* W. Y. GAMBEE. I suns"; swE-EPBR. No, 548,912. Patented 001;. 29, 1895.

a z k a? WITNESSES: INVENTOR @dumwb,7] 4 XXM.

" A TTOBNE r;

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

W. Y. GAMBEE.

I I STREET SWEEPER. No. 548,912. Patented Oct. 29, 1895.

ANDREW BLRANAMJHOTO-LmillWASniNGIDlLDL.

(No Model.) r V 4 snee-ts-sneet 4.

' I W. Y. GAMBBE.

STREET SWEEPER.

No. 548,912; Patented Oct. 29, 1895.

WITNESSES: a .fl 9 INVENTOR' M "A TTORNE r.

ANDREW EGRMMM. PHOTO-LITHQWASNINGTONJL STATE I PATENT Genres.

WILLIAM Y.. GAMBEE, OF NEWVYO RK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO JAMESMCOARTNEY AND ANTHONY MOOWEN, OF SAME PLACE.

STREET-SWEEPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters ra e... No. 548,912, dated.October 29, 1 95.

Application filedNovemher 27, 1894. Serial No. 580.087. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Y. GAMBEE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inStreet-Sweeping Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in re street-sweeping machines;and it consists in the novel features of construction and com binationsof parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

r 5 Figure l is a front elevation of a street-sweep ing machineconstructed in accordance with and embodying the invention. view ofsame, the brushes-being omitted from the sprocket-Wheels for clearnessof illustra-;

tion and a portion ofthe wagon being broken away. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of same, one of the main supporting-wheels being omitted forclearness of illustration. Fig. 4 is an end view of the machine, thebrushes and their chains being omitted from the sprocket-wheels thereof;and Fig. 5 is a detached elevation of a portion of the brushes andchains to which they are secured, and which brushes and chains areomitted from Fig. 4.

0 In the drawings, A designates the wagon portion of the machine, saidwagon being: mounted upon supporting-wheels B and pro-' vided with thedrivers seat 0. The wagon A is provided with the receptacle D, which isopen at its upper end and is adapted to receive the sweepings from thebrushes hereinafter described.

The receptacle D issimply an elongated box, preferably mounted uponrollers, as

c shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and provided on its end with a handle tofacilitate its withdrawal by hand from the wagon-frame.

In rear of the receptacle D, and at a slightly higher elevation than theupper edge of same,

Fig. 2 is a top the rear end of the said wagon, and thence extenddownward, as indicated more clearly in Fig, 3, to a point directly overthe rear axle H, whence the said bars'F curve rearward and then on aninclined plane upward to the shaft E, while the bars G are in the'formof braces and extend from said axle E downward and forward to the bars Fjust in rear ofthe receptacle D, whereby the bars F G are caused toconstitute a rigid frame capable of bearing the series of brushes andtheir sprocketwvheels, as hereinafter explained. The said frames,composed of the bars F Q, are strengthened and aided in the supportingof the sweeping mechanism by means of the bars I, which extend from thewagon Aalong the lower sides of the frame supporting the receptacle Dand thence upward to the lower portion of the bars F. where suitableboxes J. arefor'med for the journaling of the ends of the main axle H.The bars F I converge toward each other in rear of the receptacle D andform supports of great strength and ri- I gidity. 7 5

Upon the shaft E are provided the series of arms K, and from these armsthere extends downward the series of tubular rods L, whose lower endsengage and'support the short axles M, which are in line with each other,and each is provided with the pair of sprocket-Wheels N N, the latterbeing of usual construction and corresponding in size and being inalignment with the pairs of sprocket-wheels O O, secured upon the shaftE, which is continuous and not in sections or composed of a series ofshort shafts.

The tubular rods L are held'at their upper ends by means of the screwsP, Fig. 3, by which the said rods may be adjusted verti- 9o cally to alimited extent for the purpose of adapting the sprocket-wheels N O tothe condition of the chains Q, upon which the brushes R are secured. Thelower. ends of the screws P enter the upper ends of the tubular rods L,5 1 wherein are provided internal threadsto engage said screws. Thechains Q, carrying the brushes R, are continuous, as illustrated in Fig.3, and each pair of the sprocket-wheels N O is provided with one endlesschain of I00 brushes. In the present instance four pairs 0 the sprocketsN O are provided, and hence the the machine will carry four endlesschains of brushes R.

Upon the rear portion of the frame supporting the receptacle D isprovided the pan S, which is provided with the sides T and is sufficientin width to extend entirely across the machine and inclose at its sidesT all of the chains of brushes R. The upper portion of the pan S extendsupward to a point ad jacent to the rear upper edge of the receptacle D,and at the lower portion or edge of the pan S is provided a rod V, uponwhich are the curved sheet-metal plates V, which, as illustrated in Fig.4, correspond with each other in size, and are in transverse alignmentwith each other and constitute the lower portion of the pan S. The loweredges of the plates W are adapted to follow the surface outline of thestreet, and said plates being independent of each other will closelyfollow the irregularities of the surface to be swept. The pan S isadapted to be moved toward or from the brushes R, in order to adapt thesame to the condition of said brushes or the nature of the materialbeing swept up the pan, by means of the springs X, ratchet Y, and pawlZ, the springs at one end having a bearing against the pan S, as shownin Fig. 3, and at their other end being secured to the shaft or of theratchet-wheels Y, the said shaft being secured in a suitable bearing tothe side bars I, and being adapted when turned to wind the springs X forthe purpose of increasing or decreasing their tension, and thus movingthe pan S rearward toward the brushes R or permitting it to lower fromsaid brushes. The pawl Z is secured upon the said bar I in position toengage the teeth of the ratchet Y and thereby lock said ratchet in thecustomary manner.

Upon the rear main axle H is secured the gear-wheel b, as shown moreclearly in Fig. 4, which engages a pinion-wheel 01, secured upon (ashort shaft 6, mounted in bearings furnished 1 by the bifurcated armsfgof the rod h, which is suspended from the shaft E and extends downwardfor the purpose of supporting the axle eand the wheels thereon, thelower end of the armf of said rod being retained upon the axle H. Uponthe ends of the axle e are secured the sprocket-wheels 2', upon whichrun the sprocket-chains j j, as shown in Fig. 4, and which are inalignment with the smaller sprocket-wheels 7c, rigidly secured upon theshaft E.

The purpose of the gear-wheels b d, axle e, sprocket-wheels i k, andchains j is to communicate power from the main axle H to the shaft E,and through said shaft to the sprocketwheels 0, chains Q, andsprocket-wheels N, whereby the series of brushes R are caused to have atraveling movement and to sweep the refuse up the pan S and into thereceptacle D.

Upon the axle H is provided an ordinary clutch-box m, connected, asshown in Figs. 2 and 3, by a draw-rod n, bell-crank 0, rod 19, lever q,rod r, arm 0", and shaft '1' with the hand-lever s, which is inconvenient relation to the seat 0 and may be operated by the driver towithdraw the clutch m from the gear-wheel b or to cause the engagementof said clutch and gear-wheel as desired. The gear-wheel b is free uponthe axle H, while the clutch-box m is keyed in the usual manner thereon,so that when the clutch-box is free of the gearwheel Z) the latter willremain idle and the brushes R will not travel, and when the saidclutch-box m is in engagement with said gearwheel I) the latter will bethereby locked to the axle H and rotate with the same and impart itsmovement through the gear-wheel d, axle e, chains j, and sprocket-wheelsi k. to the shaft E, and thence to the sprocket-wheels N O and brushesR.

Within the bars F is journaled the rockshaft t, upon each end of which,as shown in Fig. 3, is secured the arm to, which, by means of a link as,is connected with the arm y, hung from the end of the shaft E andconnected at its lower end by the rod z to the arm A, which is firmlysecured upon the end of the shaft B, having the pinion-wheel C, thelatter being in engagement with the worm D on the vertical shaft E,having upon its upper end the hand-wheel F, by which said shaft may beturned at will by the driver from the seat 0. The purpose of the armsand rods lettered 'w, 00, 'y, z, and A, the shaft B, and the worm andpinion O and D is to enable the driver to move the rock-shaft t in itsbearings and thereby to cause the springs G, secured upon said shaft, tomove either outward and rearward or inward and forward, and draw throughthe chains H the axles M outward from the pan S or permit them toapproach said pan.

When by means of the worm D and pinion O the rod 2 is drawn forward, thelatter will, through the arms to y and rod 00, turn the rock-shaft t tomove the springs G rearward, and thereby, through the chains I-l, pullthe axles M, sprocket-wheels N, lower portions of the tubular rods L,and the series of brushes R rearward, while, upon a reverse or rearwardmovement being imparted to the rod 2 from the worm and pinion, therock-shaft 15 will be turned in a reverse direction and the springs Gwill permit the shafts M and their connections to move downward andforward of their own specific gravity. By means of the worm D and pinionO, and the connections just described intermediate the said pinion andthe axles M, the brushes B. may be lifted clear of the ground whendesired.

Upon the opposite side bars F are pivotally mounted the standards 1,carrying upon their upper ends the sleeves J, adjustably held in placeby screws K, and which sleeves have pivotally secured between them thebar L, upon whose lower surface is rigidly affixed the metal fenderM,which is curved along its front portions and is directly over thereceptacle D, and the purpose of which is to prevent the dirt sweptupward by the brushes R which enter the sleeves J and permit of thefender being turned axially to any desired position, and the said fendermay be adjusted 5 as to its position with respect to the receptacle bymeans of the segments N, formed on said standards I and having elongatedslots engaged-by a set-screw 0 from the bars G. The segments N, withtheir elongated slots and the set-screws O, are of ordinary construction and are intended as a means of ad justing the said standards Iand fender M, the said standards being free to turn on the pivotssecuring them at their lower ends to the side bars F.

Upon the bar L, carrying the fender M, is secured the series ofrearwardly-projecting pins P, forming a comb against which the .pointsof the bristles of the brushes R pass. during their traveling movement,and which I will have the eifeot of cleaning the said bristles of allforeign matter prior to their descending to the ground for further useincarrying the sweepings up the pan S to the receptacle D.

The rear wheels B, during any backward movement of the machine, willrevolve freely upon the ends of the axle H without turning the latter,and hence without setting in motion the series of brushes R; but duringall forward movement of the machine the wheels B and axle H will belocked together by the customary pawl-and-ratchet mechanism used instreet-sweeping machines and located in casings Q at the inner side ofthe hubs of said wheels, as illustrated in Fig. 4. The pawl-and-ratchetmechanism for the ends of the axle H is not specificallyshown, sincesaid elements are well known in the art and are not claimed herein.

From the foregoing description it will be seen than the motion of therear wheels B, while the machine is going forward, is communicatedthrough the axle H and clutch-box 'm to the geanwheels b d, shaft e,chains j, sprocket-w heels 2' k, shaft E, all of the sprocketwheels 0,and the series of brushes R, and that the revolution of the shaft E andthe sprocket-wheels O is communicated, through the chains Q, carryingthe brushes R, to the sprocket-wheels N, mounted upon the short shaftsM, and hence that during the forward travel of the machine all of thebrushes R are in constant traveling motion sweeping the street andmoving the refuse up the pan S and into the receptacle D. When it isdesired to stop the motion of the brushes R while the machine is goingforward, the driver, by moving the lover 8, may withdraw the clutch mfrom the gear-wheel b and cut off the power of the wheels B and axle Hfrom the gear-wheels b d, chains j, and brushes B. When it is desired tolift the brushes R, sprocket-wheels N, and axles M from theiroperatingposition, the driver will simply rotate the shaft E in one direction,and thereafter when it is desired that said brushes and shafts may loweragain the driver will simply reverse the movement of the shaft E. Thebrushes R, sprocket-wheels N, and shafts M are suspended by the tubularrods L from the shaft E, which is the pivotal point of the sweepingmechanism, and the distance between the sprocket-wheels N and thesprocketwheels 0 on the said shaft E is adjustable by means of thescrews P, which engage threaded apertures in the arms K and enter theupper threaded ends of the rods L. The fender M may be adjustedvertically upon the stand ards I by means ofthe sleeves J and screws K,or adjusted axially by means of the pivots which secure said fender tosaid sleeves J. The standards I may be also adjusted toward or from thebrushes R, and hence the pins P supported by said standards may be movedtoward or from the brushes they are to comb. The pan S is secured by ahinge to the upper rear portion of the frame about the receptacle D,andits lower portion may be adjusted toward or from the brushes R bymeans of the springs X, ratchet Y, and pawl Z. The parts of the machineare thus rendered adjustable at the will of the operator in a convenientmanner and are adapted to eifectually perform the work intended forthem.

The machine constructed as above described is thoroughly durable andentirely practicable, and in use ithas been demonstrated that the lowersections or fingers W of the pan will follow the irregularities in thesurface over which the machine is passing and that the endless chains ofbrushes swung from the shaft E and independently yielding at their lowerends with the short shafts M will effectually clean the irregularsurfaces of streets.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-- 1. In a street sweeping machine, the side bars F, I, extendingrearward from the wagon portion of the machine and the rear end of thebar F, thence extending upward and forward, the braces Gr connecting thetwo parts of the bars F, the shaft E journaled at the upper ends of saidbars F and braces G, and the pan S extending downward from the rearportion of the wagon part of the machine, combined with the series ofsprocket wheels on the said shaft E, the series of short shafts Mcarrying the sprocket wheels N, the rods extending downward from theshaft E to said short shafts M, the series of chains carrying brushes.and mounted upon the said sprocket wheels on the shaft E and shafts M,the gear wheel on the main rear axle H, the

IIO

short shaft 6 carrying the pinion in engagement with the said gear wheeland having at its ends the sprocket wheels '5, the sprocket wheels onsaid shaft E, the chains j connecting the sprocket wheels 1', It, andthe rod h extending downward from the shaft E and carrying the saidshaft e and supported at its lower end on the said axle H; substantiallyas set forth.

2. In a street sweeping machine, the shaft E rigidly supported andcarrying the series of sprocket wheels, the short shafts IWI carryinganother series of sprocket wheels, and the chains connecting saidsprocket wheels on said shafts and carrying the series of brushes R,combined with the receptacle for sweepings, the pan S up which thebrushes pass, the rods connecting the short shafts M with the shaft E,the springs G mounted upon a rock shaft and connected with the shortshafts M, and mechanism for actuating the said rock shaft from a pointadjacent to the drivers seat; substantially as set forth.

3. In a street sweeping machine, the shaft E rigidly supported andcarrying the series of sprocket wheels, the short shafts M carryinganother series of sprocket wheels, and the chains connecting saidsprocket wheels on said shafts and carrying the series of brushes R,combined with the receptacle for sweepings', the pan S up which thebrushes pass, the rods connecting the short shafts M with the shaft E,the springs G mounted upon a rock shaft and connected with the shortshafts M, the worm and pinion on the wagon, and intermediate levers andconnecting rods passing from the shaft of said pinion to the rock shaftcarrying said springs G; substantially as set forth.

4. In a street sweeping machine, the shaft E rigidly mounted andcarrying the series of sprocket wheels 0, the series of short shafts Mcarrying the sprocket wheels N, the rods connecting the said shaft Ewith the shafts M, and the series of chains connecting said sprocketwheels and carrying the brushes R, combined with the receptacle toreceive the sweepings, the pan up which the brushes move, the gear wheelb on the rear axle H, the clutch box m on said axle H, the short shaft esupported in a rod that is connected with the shaft E and rear axle Hand carrying the pinion d and sprocket wheels i, the sprocket wheels ison the shaft E, the chains 3' connecting said sprocket wheels 1', k, andmechanism operating said clutch box m whereby the driver may move thesaid clutch at will; substantially as set forth.

5. In a street sweeping machine the shaft E rigidly mounted and carryingthe sprocket wheels 0, the series of short shafts M carrying thesprocket wheels N, the series of chains running on said sprocket wheelsand carrying the brushes R, the arms K on said shaft E and provided withthe adjusting screws P, and the tubular rods L extending upward fromsaid short shafts M and engaged at their upper ends by the said screwsP, combined with the receptacle, the pan S, means for raising andlowering said brushes, and means for communicating power from the rearaxle H to the shaft E;'substantially as set forth.

6. In a street sweeping machine the receptacle D, the series of brushesR in. rear of said receptacle, the supporting frame for the brushes andthe pan S intermediate the said receptacle and brushes, combined withthe pivotally mounted adjustable standards 1' and vertically adjustablefender, mounted on said standards; substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

7. In a street sweeping machine, the receptacle D, the series of brushesR in rear of said receptacle, the supporting frame for the brushes andthe pan S intermediate the said receptacle and brushes, combined withthe pivotally mounted adjustable standards I, the sleeves J on saidstandards, the board L secured to said sleeves, the fender M secured tosaid board, and the pins P also secured to said board and constituting acomb; substantially as set forth.

8. In a street sweeping machine, the receptacle D, the series of brushesR in rear of said receptacle, the supporting frame for the brushes andthe hinged pan S intermediate the said receptacle and brushes and havingthe series of independent plates W at its lower end, combined with thesprings X hearing against the said pan S and secured upon the shaft a,which is journaled on the rigid side frames of the machine the ratchet Yon said shaft a, and the pawl Z engaging the said ratchet; substantiallyas set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 26th day of November, A. D. 1894.

WILLIAM Y. GAMBEE. Witnesses:

Cams. 0. GILL, EDWARD D. MILLER.

